In celebrating his 2012 Sprint Cup title, for one night at least, he turned into a deeply humble Brad.

Keselowski thanked all the right people Friday night at the 2012 Sprint Cup Series Awards Ceremony as the Penske Racing driver celebrated his first Cup championship and a year where he earned a $5.7 million bonus from the Sprint/NASCAR points fund for a season earnings of $12.1 million.

“You just go by how you feel,” Keselowski said afterward about his speech that lacked the flamboyancy of some of his victory celebrations during the season. “I think too many people try to plan those things out. You just go how you feel and move where the moment takes you.”

Keselowski had a year where he earned five wins along with 13 top fives and 23 top 10s in giving team owner Roger Penske his first title after more than two decades of trying.

“To see Brad and how he is going to represent the sport probably means the most to me because he’s loyal,” Penske said afterward. “I think what you see is what you get. He’s a high-integrity guy, he’s a hard worker and he’s a big team player. That’s going to make our team even stronger as we go forward.”

Keselowski, 28, talked about champions, both recent and those of the past.

In talking about Jimmie Johnson, who battled Keselowski to the final race, the new champion paid his respects to the five-time champion.

“I’ll never forget Texas and racing with you, Jimmie,” Keselowski said to Johnson. “That was one of the proudest races of my life to be able to run with you. It seemed like all season long we were racing against each other somewhere around the track.

“That was just phenomenal. I can’t believe I was racing a five-time champion. He made me earn it.”

Keselowski then talked about the late Dale Earnhardt, who won seven Cup titles.

“I can’t believe that my name is somewhere near Dale Earnhardt’s,” Keselowski said. “I just can’t even believe that. I don’t deserve that. So I feel very, very proud and very honored.”

Keselowski thanked NASCAR, the other drivers and his team.

One person he didn’t thank? Well, he got a dig in on banquet host, comedian Howie Mandel.

“I guess the 10 Sprint Cup races for the Chase were pretty tough but they were no match for a night of Howie Mandel’s comedy—it about killed me,” Keselowski said.

Many people expected possibly several more jokes or a more outlandish speech. That is what has made Keselowski most popular.

But his somewhat low-key speech still came from the heart, and Keselowski has been known to be true to himself and speak his mind.

“I don’t think Brad has learned to be cautious yet,” three-time Cup champion Tony Stewart said. “Hopefully that won’t bite him like it has a lot of drivers in the past. But it’s refreshing. It’s nice to see somebody that just speaks from the heart and isn’t guarded when he speaks. That’s the way all of us should be.”

Keselowski didn’t have a written speech, just notes. But he strung together a solid speech.

“Too polished is sometimes not good, either,” four-time Cup champion Jeff Gordon said. “You’ve got to be who you are and let that shine. That’s what I see in him.

“There doesn’t seem like there’s much fazing him or changing him, at least not what I’ve seen so far, so I don’t anticipate it happening.”

Oh don’t worry. Keselowski promised not everything on his championship celebration night would be so polished.

“I’m looking forward to tonight at the club—hopefully you guys are sober enough to make it that far,” Keselowski told his team from the stage. “I’m counting on you not being, but that’s all right.”